Love Is
by Fate's Child
Summary: "It was love that saved me, and love that will be my downfall." Harry has a conversation with a young woman who will teach him that maybe love isn't all pain. A non romance, slight angst on Harry's part. Original Character: Terraline Angela Brooks...


This is my first fic posted under this pen name AND my first Harry Potter fic that's NOT A CROSSOVER!!  All my other fics are under my other pen name… E-mail me if you want to know what it is.  OR if you can figure out what it is from my original character: Terraline Angela Brooks, I will write a one shot fic about whatever you want me to….

Love is

By:  Terraline Angela Brooks

Date:  November 12, 2002

            A figure sat in the shadows, looking at the face of the young woman that had just walked in the door.  Without a word, she sat.  There was silence for a moment.  The girl sat stiffly, wondering exactly what would come in the next few moments.  The figure's face was cloaked in the dark, but his posture spoke of many tragedies faced, and many things lost.  When the figure moved forward, the woman smiled gently. 

"Hello, Harry."   There was no response for a moment.  And then the teenage boy began to speak. 

"Dumbledore told me that you could help me, maybe help stop the nightmares."

"Dumbledore is a wise man, Harry, and I can only do what you will let me.  I'm not going to lie to you, I cannot stop Voldermort, I cannot stop all of your nightmares.  But I can help you get through things, to let loose a little of your fear, and grief."  She leaned forward.  "You have a lot of grief, Harry, more then you let anyone know." 

"I don't even know you."  Harry's eyes were sharp.  "You don't even look old enough to be a shrink."  The girl smiled radiantly, her eyes lighting up.  

"I'll tell you a secret.  I'm not one." 

"You're not?"  He looked surprised. 

"I'm a plain old muggle girl… mostly.  I have a gift, I'm an Empath. Sometimes, I can help by taking a little of your pain into myself.  I can listen, and if we're lucky, heal.  But you're right.  I'm only a 16 year old girl, that has no knowledge of your ways of magic."  She leaned back.  "Do you still want to give this a try?"

"Maybe."  Harry looked at her.  "I just might.

"Love.  Love, Dumbledore has told me, is what saved me.  My father's love gave my mother enough time to save me with hers.  It was love that saved me, and love that will kill me.  They all look at me with confusion in their eyes.  'How can love kill?' they ask, "how can the most wonderful thing kill?'  And I look at them and wonder 'how can you be so innocent, so naïve?  How can such innocence and ignorance have escaped his reign?'  Voldermort, He-who-must-not-be-named has only been in power for a year.  But a year of hell it has been. 

            "You know what's funny?  That you sometimes don't even realize that you love someone until they're gone.  Now you wonder what I'm talking about.  Do you know that there are very few people in this world that you will ever hate?  Maybe, if you are lucky, you will never hate at all.  But even loosing someone that you view as a mere acquaintance rips a piece of you apart, makes some corner in your soul cry with grief.  I learned that when Cedric died.  I didn't' know him, had never really talked to him before the Tri Wizard tournament in fourth year.  And yet, when he died… a piece of me mourned, a piece of me I didn't know existed.  And I realized I loved him.  Hell, I even love Malfoy-to an extent."  He sat back with a slight smile.  

            "That information would have Ron dragging me to the hospital wing.  But I just can't find it in me to hate him anymore.  After everything I've seen… it's just not worth it anymore.  He's not evil.  Just misled."

            "That's a very wise point of view for someone your age."  Harry smiled slightly. 

            "You're the same age as I am."  The girl smirked. 

            "But my soul is thousands of years old."  Harry's smile faded. 

            "I got off topic.  Voldermort kills everything in his path.  Even if their bodies are still alive, he sucks away their soul until all that's left is evil.  I know that if I let him take his fight to Hogwarts, if I let him bring his fight here, he will kill everything that means anything to me, all the people I've come to love. 

            "I didn't grow up with love, did you know that?  I grew up with people that hated and feared everything that I was.  And I came here… and found friends, and a family of sorts," his face lit up, "it was wonderful.  But now… now I almost curse it.  Because he'll go after them.  He'll try to bring down everything that I know, everything that I love, simply because it will break me.  I don't know what to do.  I don't know what to do anymore.  Before Cedric died, it was… it seemed impossible for anyone to die here."  He dropped his head in his hands.  

            "Sometimes, Harry, there is nothing we can do to stop death," her eyes were unfocused, as if she was remembering some long ago memory.  "Sometimes, there is no way at all to stop our pain.  But without love… Without love you would have no reason to fight Voldermort, you would have no reason at all to fight-or to live.  It's not easy being The-Boy-Who-Lived, but you have a strength in you that others don't.  If you don't want to fight, if you don't think you can, then tell Dumbledore and get out now.  Live as a muggle.  Live free."  She smiled slightly.  "But I don't' think you will.  Love.  That was what saved you, Harry, and what _could be your downfall.  But a monster like Voldermort has no love, and that is his greatest weakness.  And love, Harry James Potter, love is your greatest strength.  If you believe, you will prevail."_

            He looked up a new determination in his eyes.  "I will, won't I?  Even if I die, I'll take him down with me.  Because everyone left deserves a chance.  Who are you, I never got your name."  She smiled slightly.  

            "Terra.  Terraline Brooks."  And before his eyes, she disappeared in a fall of small sparkles.  "If you need me, I will be there.  I cannot help you fight your battles on the outside, but on the inside…" her voice faded.  Harry sat for a moment, hearing Hermione's voice in his head. 

            'How many times do I have to tell you, CAN'T apperate on Hogwarts grounds!'  He stood quickly when an older woman walked into the room.  

            "Harry Potter?  I'm Elizabeth James.  Dumbledore said that maybe you'd want to talk?  I'm sorry I'm a little late."  He looked at her and then to the empty chair that sat in front of him.  And smiled.  

            "No.  No thank you.  I think I got all the help I need."  And then Harry Potter, The-Boy-That-Lived, walked out of the empty classroom with a lighter heart and a new determination to do what was right. 


End file.
